Levy Information

School Program and Operations Levy

A four-year replacement of an expiring School Program & Operations (SP&O) Levy will be presented to voters on Tuesday, February 13, 2018. The proposed levy is a replacement of the current levy, which expires in 2018. It is not a new tax.

How SP&O Levy Dollars are Spent

Funds from the levy support Monroe School District’s school programs and operations not funded by the State of Washington. The replacement School Program and Operations Levy helps support our growing number of students and continue with current programs, including the following:

School safety and security

Athletics and extracurricular activities

Student transportation

Special education programs

Student support programs

Professional learning for staff

District operations and building maintenance

Instructional supplies and materials

Total Local School District Tax Rate

If approved by voters, the Replacement School Program and Operations Levy would allow the school district to collect $1.50 per $1,000 of assessed property value. This would be a decrease in the local school tax rate from the estimated $3.16 per $1,000 of assessed property value that is currently being collected for the expiring Maintenance and Operations Levy.

Changes to the State School Levy Funding

In July 2017, the Washington State Legislature made a decision to increase the amount of funding the state provides to schools and to reduce the amount of local taxes school districts can request and collect. This property tax shift changes how school districts receive funding, but does not change the need for local levies.

How Tax Amounts are Determined for Property Owners

Each property owner pays a different amount of taxes because the assessed value for each property is different. Monroe School District can only collect the levy amount approved by voters - no matter how much the assessed values increase. As more people move into the Monroe School District boundaries, more property owners contribute to the total levy amount. This means that each property owner will likely pay less.

Link to the Board Approved Resolution for this Levy

Resources and More Information

Registered voters will receive their ballots in the mail around Friday, Jan. 26. Ballots must be postmarked by Election Day—Tuesday, Feb. 13 at midnight. They may also be dropped off at the 24-hour secure ballot drop box outside of the Monroe Library at 1070 Village Way.